Carter and I are the only ones in the café, besides a very tired barista. I walk up to the counter and order an espresso. If I'm not going to sleep, better do it right. Once I get it, I carry it to our table. Sitting down next to carter, I smile at him and he leans on my shoulder.

"I can't believe I do this for you, Dayly." He yawns.

"You know you love it," I smile and sip my drink.

"You're right, I do." He says, yawning again, "How's Cam?"

"He had a little bit of an emotional breakdown today," I sigh.

"You know," Cam says sleepily, "He could always come on a 'mandatory school trip' again. My sister is starting to wonder if she'll ever see him again." He laughs lightly.

Carter's 11-year-old sister has a huge crush on Cam.

"I was thinking we could do that while we're on our actual school trip,"

He shrugs "Sounds good, I'll talk to my mom." Carter takes a long sip of his hot chocolate. "Did you get your room plan yet?" He asks me.

"No. You?" I say, praying I won't have bratty roommates.

"Yeah, I got Kayden and ... William."

My head snaps up at the mention of my ex, "Cut up his stuff! Oh! Put hair die in his shampoo!" I grin at the idea of will with hot pink hair and holes in all his cloths. Carter laughs and ruffles my hair.

"I'll be sure to do that."

"Do you know where the camp site is this year?"

"I think it's just outside of Pine Hills ...?" Carter gives an educated guess.

Pine Hills is the town we all live in. Well, it's more of a village actually. It's got less than 3 hundred students in the community high school.

"Near the ocean, maybe." He adds brightly.

"Sounds wonderful" I smile, excited to get away from town for a few days.

The bell on the door dings. I turn my head to see who's coming in at such a late hour. The person I see holds eye contact with me, her stormy grey eyes shining, short rainbow hair framing her face. Alex smirks, walking over to Carter and I.

"Hello, love bugs." She says, plopping herself down on the couch across from us.

"We're just friends!" I say, exasperated, sitting up in protest.

She laughs, a beautifully sweet laugh, clearly enjoying seeing me so flustered. I look down at my half empty cup of coffee, not wanting to meet her gaze for some reason. I can feel her staring at me, amused at my awkwardness. My eyes disobey me, meeting Alex's gaze. She smiles to herself.

What's wrong with you, Dahlia!? Get it together! My mind screams at me, but I don't hear it.

"Hello, person-that-I-don't-know-but-clearly-knows-Dahlia" Carter says, breaking the awkward silence.

Alex directs her steel-like gaze on Carter. His eyes go wide.

"Wait a minute! Aren't you the girl a tortured in math last year?" Carter asks in astonishment.

"Oh, right. Well, little good that did, I still failed ... Had to take summer school." She says this proudly, like it's something to admire.

Carter doesn't see this and continues talking "I could help you out again ... if you want."

I pray she won't agree, but it seems that fate isn't in my favour tonight.

"I might just take you up on that," She says while looking at me. WHY ME?! SHE'S TALKING TO CARTER FOR HEAVENS SAKE!

I feel my cheeks heating up. My phone buzzes from inside my jacket pocket, saving me. I take it out, grateful for the excuse to look away from Alex. It's an email from the camp counselor for the annual summer camping trip for all high school students in Pine Hills. My group for the camping trip.

Hello 10/11 graders,

We are excited to see you at our annual camping trip! Per usual, the group you are in is the group you will eat, sleep and participate in games and other fun activities with. Throughout our week at crystal bay your group will be like your family, so best get along! Boys, girls, and our nonbinary students will not be sharing cabins. Thank you for your cooperation.

Mrs. Collins

Your group:

Dahlia Abernathy

Talia Norah

Alex Faith

Carter looks over my shoulder to see who I got, but the only thing running through my head is: The one will be cheated on me with.

He sucks in a breath "And you're sure you can't switch?" he asks, rubbing my back.

I feel like puking. "I. Can't."

"What's going on?" Alex asks, leaning forward to see my phone. I angle it away from her. Carter looks at me, his eyes telling he's asking if it's ok to tell her. I sigh and nod, putting my head in my hands.

After he's told the whole William and Talia story, she looks at me, her stormy eyes soft. "I'm sorry he cheated on you, but on the bright side ... You can cut her hair in her sleep!"

I laugh a little "Yeah, sounds perfect." Get over yourself, Dahlia ... You just won't talk to her. It's not like you're as brave as Alex.

"Here, give me your phone." Alex demands, extending a hand towards it.

"Why?" I ask, hiding it behind my back.

She rolls her eyes, "Because, I saw the list, I'm your cabin buddy. So, just give it to me." I don't budge, "Ugh! I'm not going to do anything bad with it! You can trust me!"

NO! My mind screams at me, HOW DO YOU KNOW SHE'S NOT GOING TO BLACKMAIL TALIA OR SOMETHING CRAZY LIKE THAT?! But once again, my body found my mind's worry boring and decided not to listen. Slowly, I hand over my phone.

ALEX

I grab her phone, opening contacts and typing in my phone number before I can even think about blackmailing Talia. After an internal debate that felt like hours but only lasted three seconds, I put a heart beside my name. I hand it back to Dahlia. It takes her a second to see the heart, but when she does a blush explodes on her cheeks.

I stand "See ya dorks later." I wink at Dahlia and her blush increases.

I almost let out a giggle at how cute she is when she's embarrassed.

DAHLIA'S POINT OF VEIW

I pass my phone to Carter while staring after Alex, dumb with surprise.

"I think she was flirting with me." I say, astonished.

I turn to see Carter staring at the small heart that means so much more than it lets on.

"Oh, she most definitely was." He says, never taking his eyes off the phone.

After a moment of awkward silence, I break it "Well? Tell me what I should do!" I demand.

"I don't know! You're not gay, are you?" he asks.

It takes me a moment to think about it, Alex's smiling face and rainbow hair flashes in front of my eyes.

"No ... I don't think so ... " I say, hesitantly. There was no way I could be gay, I mean, I've never liked any girls before, I'm sixteen! If I was gay, I would have started liking girls when I started liking boys. "No, I don't think so." I say again, surer of myself this time.

"Well, you better tell her that. Wouldn't want her to think she has a chance."

I gulp, Alex's beautiful face dances behind my eyelids, almost mockingly. "I'll do that." I say, "Wouldn't want her to get the wrong impression." I take my phone back, slipping it into my jacket pocket.

Back at home, I lie in bed beside Cam, my finger hovering over the delete button. It would be weird to have a heart beside Alex's name, wouldn't it? I ask myself. Labelling the constant thought of Alex as wanting to get to know her more as a friend is the easiest thing to do right now. But is it the best thing for me? Is it the truth? Instead of answering my desperate questions, I save the contact and shut my phone off. Darkness wrapped around me like a blanket.

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What does everyone think so far?

Word count: 1,385